Conroe furniture businesses help apartment fire families

By Meagan Ellsworth, mellsworth@hcnonline.com

Published
6:24 pm CDT, Thursday, June 8, 2017

Chris Pfeiffer, left, and Daniel Cryer unload mattresses at Homestead House Furniture, Thursday, June 8, 2017, in Conroe. Homestead House, along with Wiggins Furniture, have joined together to provide mattresses as well as pickup and delivery services for residents who wish to donate furniture for families affected by the Autumnwood Apartment fire on June 3. The fire displaced forty-one residents. less

Chris Pfeiffer, left, and Daniel Cryer unload mattresses at Homestead House Furniture, Thursday, June 8, 2017, in Conroe. Homestead House, along with Wiggins Furniture, have joined together to provide ... more

Photo: Jason Fochtman, Staff Photographer

Photo: Jason Fochtman, Staff Photographer

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Chris Pfeiffer, left, and Daniel Cryer unload mattresses at Homestead House Furniture, Thursday, June 8, 2017, in Conroe. Homestead House, along with Wiggins Furniture, have joined together to provide mattresses as well as pickup and delivery services for residents who wish to donate furniture for families affected by the Autumnwood Apartment fire on June 3. The fire displaced forty-one residents. less

Chris Pfeiffer, left, and Daniel Cryer unload mattresses at Homestead House Furniture, Thursday, June 8, 2017, in Conroe. Homestead House, along with Wiggins Furniture, have joined together to provide ... more

Photo: Jason Fochtman, Staff Photographer

Conroe furniture businesses help apartment fire families

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Homestead House and Wiggins Furniture of Conroe are teaming up with the Autmumnwood Apartment Complex to help families whose units were destroyed by a fire Saturday night.

The complex has been able to temporarily house those who were displaced after lightning struck the attic space around 10 p.m. and destroyed eight units occupied by 41 people, according to Homestead House Managing Partner Chris Pfeiffer. This weekend, the families will move to new units, he said.

More than six fire trucks, including units from Conroe, Needham, and Caney Creek, multiple Conroe police officers and EMS personnel rushed to the scene at 2021 Plantation Drive, southeast of the Interstate 45-North Loop 336 intersection.

No injuries were reported; however, some residents lost all of their belongings.

"One of the units was totally destroyed," Pfeiffer said. "Two roommates said they had utensils melted in a drawer."

On the heels of the Tamina house fire that killed three children in May, Pfeiffer said he and Wiggins felt moved to help. Now the two are working together to provide mattresses and logistical support to four of the families who did not have renters insurance and were provided on a list by the complex.

"These are families that don't have anything to begin with," Pfeiffer said."These are good, hardworking people who would not want to be reached out and helped. Right now, they have nothing; they don't have insurance, no backup or support. All I can feel is that they feel pretty hopeless right now. If they get some local support from somebody that can help, and we have the means to help people, that's a good thing."

The businesses also are offering to provide and coordinate pick-up and delivery service for the donated items to those families. "We grew up here and try to give back to our community and help all we possibly can," Wiggins said.

The night of the fire, the American Red Cross responded to assist the displaced residents by distributing blankets, water and opening cases where needed, according to MaryJane Mudd, communications officer, American Red Cross

"In all, 11 cases were opened to help people get back on their feet and 26 people were assisted," she said. "While the Red Cross doesn't collect in-kind items, we encourage neighbors who wish to help in this way to contact local charities who may be accepting donations for the families."

The 152-unit Autumnwoods complex was constructed in 1983, before fire sprinklers were a required installation. According to City of Conroe fire code, a building that is 10,000 square feet or greater in size must have fire sprinklers installed; any existing unprotected buildings of that size that have undergone more than a 50 percent remodel must install sprinklers, as well.